Can cover with a stay-on tab

ABSTRACT

A can cover with a stay-on tab has one end and another end of the stay-on tab respectively inclined upwardly from the upper surface of the can cover so that there are distances between the one end of the stay-on tab and the upper surface of the can cover and between the other end of the-stay-on tab and the upper surface of the can cover. The distance between the other end of the stay-on tab and the upper surface of the can cover is made larger when the end of the stay-on tab is pushed downwardly toward the upper surface of the can cover. The stay-on tab moves like a seesaw. Wrinkles are provided as indentations extending across the can cover.

RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/038,278, filed on Jan. 4, 2002, and entitled “Can Cover with a Stay-On Tab”, presently pending.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a can cover or a can top with a stay-on tab. Particularly the invention relates to a can cover having a stay-on tab which can be easily pulled upward with a finger. The present invention also relates to can covers that include structures that prevent swelling of the can cover.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A cover of a can containing a drink is usually provided with a stay-on tab thereon. FIGS. 9 and 10 show a conventional can cover 1 with a stay-on tab 3. The conventional stay-on tab 3 is attached to the upper surface of the can cover 1 by a supporting means 5 protruding upward from the can cover 13. The stay-on tab 3 is in close contact with the upper surface of the can cover 1. The can cover 1 is provided under one end 3 a of the stay-on tab 8 with scores 7 for inducing rupture. One end 3 a of the stay-on tab 3 is adapted to push downward on a portion 8 surrounded by the scores 7 so as to form a content take-out hole when another end 3 b of the stay-on tab 3 is pulled upward from the upper surface of the can cover 1.

In the conventional stay-on tab 3, a supporting means 5 is connected to a central portion 3 c of the stay-on tab 3. The central portion 3 c is continued to the one end 8 a of the stay-on tab 3 and separated from another end 3 b of the stay-on tab 3 so that the end 3 b can be pulled upward from the upper surface of the can cover 1 while the central portion 3 c remains in close contact with the upper surface of the can cover 1. There is an opening 9 between the central portion 3 c of the stay-on tab 3 and the another end 3 b thereof. The opening 9 is formed by cutting off a portion of the material corresponding thereto.

The conventional can cover with the stay-on tab has several disadvantages. Since the stay-on tab is in close contact with the upper surface of the can cover, it is very difficult to insert a finger between the stay-on tab and the upper surface of the can cover in order to pull upward on the other end of the stay-on tab. Also, the stay-on tab is likely to be turned in a horizontal direction by an external cause during the transportation, storage, etc. of the can. In such a case, it is often difficult to open the can. Since the central portion of the stay-on tab is separated from the other end of the stay-on tab, the stay-on tab may be broken when the other end is pulled upward from the upper surface of the can cover.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a can cover with a stay-on tab which has obviated all of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art.

It is another object of the invention to provide a can cover with a stay-on tab in which it is very easy to insert a finger between the stay-on tab and the upper surface of the can cover in order to pull upward on the other end of the stay-on tab.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a can cover with a stay-on tab in which the tab is prevented from being turned in a horizontal direction by an external cause during the transportation, storage, etc. of the can.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a can cover with a stay-on tab in which the tab is prevented from being broken when the other end of the stay-on tab is pulled upward from the upper surface of the can cover.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a can cover that serves to prevent upward swelling of the can cover by an expansion of the contents of the can.

These and other objects have been attained by a can cover with a stay-on tab. The stay-on tab is attached to an upper surface of the can cover by a supporting means protruding upward from the can cover. The can cover is provided under one end of the stay-on tab with scores for inducing rupture. One end of the stay-on tab is adapted to push downward on a portion surrounded by the scores so as to form a content take-out hole when another end of the stay-on tab is pulled upward. The supporting means is connected to a central portion of the stay-on tab. The central portion of the stay-on tab is continued to one end of the stay-on tab and separated from the other end of the stay-on tab so that the other end can be pulled upward from the upper surface of the can cover while the central portion remains in close contact with the upper surface of the can cover. The ends of the stay-on tab are respectively inclined upward from the upper surface of the can cover so that there are distances between one end of the stay-on tab and the upper surface of the can cover and between the other end of the stay-on tab and the upper surface of the can cover. The distance between the other end of the stay-on tab and the upper surface of the can cover are made larger when one end of the stay-on tab is pushed downward toward the upper surface of the can cover.

There is always a distance between the other end of the stay-on tab and the upper surface of the can cover. This distance becomes larger when the one end of the stay-on tab is pushed downward toward the upper surface of the can cover. In other words, the stay-on tab moves like a seesaw. When one end of the stay-on tab is pushed downwardly, the other end of the stay-on tab is moved upwardly. Therefore, it is very easy to insert a finger between the other end of the stay-on tab and the upper surface of the can cover in order to pull upward the on the other end of the stay-on tab.

The supporting means protruding upward from the can cover preferably has an elliptic or polygonal section so as to prevent the stay-on tab from being turned in a horizontal direction.

Alternatively, an auxiliary supporting means protrudes upward from the can cover beside the supporting means. The auxiliary supporting means is connected to the central portion of said stay-on tab. The auxiliary supporting means passes through the central portion and protrudes upward from the central portion.

An upper end of the auxiliary supporting means is preferably spread so as to form a head.

The can cover preferably has wrinkles formed thereacross so as to prevent the can cover from being swelled upward by the expansion of the contents of the can. The can cover is often swelled upward by the expansion of the contents of the can. This is likely to occur when the can contains beer, soda water, soft drinks, etc. If the can cover is swelled upward, it may be impossible to provide a stay-on tab having one end and another end thereof respectively inclined upward from the upper surface of the can cover.

The central portion of the stay-on tab is separated from the other end of the stay-on tab preferably by cutting the material along the periphery of the central portion and folding the cut edge of the material back to the other end of the stay-on tab.

An opening is formed between the central portion of the stay-on tab and the other end thereof. However, the material corresponding to the opening is not cut off but folded back to the other end of the stay-on tab. Therefore, the stay-on tab is reinforced and prevented from being broken when the other end of the stay-on tab is pulled upward from the upper surface of the can cover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a can cover according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the can cover.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing can covers stacked.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing another example of said can cover.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a modified example of a stay-on tab.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along lines VI-VI of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing another example of the stay-on tab.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a can cover having the stay-on cover of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a conventional stay-on tab.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a conventional can cover having the stay-on tab of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A can 11 comprises a can body 13 and a can cover 15. The can cover 15 is provided on its upper surface with a stay-on tab 17. The stay-on tab 17 is attached to the upper surface of the can cover 15 by a supporting means 19 protruding upward from the can cover 15. The can cover 15 is provided under one end 17 a of the stay-on tab 17 with scores 21 for inducing rupture. One end 17 a of the stay-on tab

In an embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, an auxiliary supporting means 31 protruding upwardly from the can cover 15 is provided beside the supporting means 19. The auxiliary supporting means 31 is connected to the central portion 17 c of the stay-on tab 17. The auxiliary supporting means 31 passes through the central portion 17 c of the stay-on tab 17 and protrudes upwardly from the central portion 17 c. An upper end 31 a of the auxiliary supporting means 31 is preferably spread so as to form a head. An upper end 19 a of said supporting means 19 is also spread so as to form a head.

In an embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the can cover 15 has wrinkles or grooves 33 so as to prevent the can cover 15 from being swelled upward by the expansion of the contents of the can 11. The wrinkles 33 are formed in the can cover 15 so as to extend thereacross in generally parallel relation to each other. Each of the wrinkles 33 extends downwardly from the outer surface of the can cover in a generally U-shaped configuration. A pair of the wrinkles 33 extends across the can cover on one side of the tab 17 while another pair of the wrinkles 33 extends across the can cover 15 on an opposite side of the tab 17. As such, pressures on opposite sides of the tab 17 are equalized and balanced.

In an embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the central portion 17 c of the stay-on tab 17 is separated from the other end 17 b of the stay-on tab 17 by cutting the material along the periphery 18 of the central portion 17 c and folding the cut edge 20 of the material back to the other end 17 b of the stay-on tab 17. In this embodiment, the opening 25 is formed between the central portion 17 c of the stay-on tab 17 and the other end 17 b thereof. However, the material corresponding to the opening 25 is not cut off but folded back to the other end 17 b of the stay-on tab 17.

The present invention has several advantage. There is always a distance between the other end of the stay-on tab and the upper surface of the can cover. This distance becomes larger when the one end of the stay-on tab is pushed downwardly toward the upper surface of the can cover. Therefore, it is very easy to insert a finger between the other end of the stay-on tab and the upper surface of the can cover in order to pull upward the other end of the stay-on tab. The stay-on tab is prevented from being turned in a horizontal direction by an external cause during the transportation, storage, etc. of the can when the supporting means protruding upward from the can cover has an elliptic or polygonal section, or when the auxiliary supporting means protruding upwardly from the can cover is provided beside the supporting means. When the can cover has wrinkles so as to prevent the can cover from being swelled upward by the expansion of the contents of the can, the above-mentioned stay-on tab can be attached to the can cover without hindrance. When the central portion is separated from the other end of the stay-on tab by cutting the material along the periphery of the central portion and folding the cut edge of the material back to the other end of the stay-on tab, the tab is reinforced and prevented from being broken when the end of the stay-on tab is pulled upwardly from the upper surface of the can cover.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in the appended claims. 

I claim:
 1. A covering apparatus for a can comprising: a can cover having an upper surface, said can cover having wrinkles formed therein so as to extend thereacross and in generally parallel relationship to each other so as to prevent upward swelling of said can cover by an expansion of contents form the can, said can cover having an outer rim extending upwardly from said upper surface; and a stay-on tab attached to said upper surface by a support extending upwardly from said can cover, said can cover having a scoring means formed under one end of said stay-on tab, said scoring means for rupturing upon compressive contact by said one end of said stay-on tab, said one end of said stay-on tab being adapted to push downwardly on a portion of said can cover surrounded by said scoring means when another end of said stay-on tab is pulled upwardly, said score means defining a content take-out hole, said support being connected to a central portion of said stay-on tab, said central portion extending contiguously to said one end of said stay-on tab, said central portion having an edge spaced from said another end of said stay-on tab such that said another end can be pulled upwardly from said upper surface of said can cover while said central portion remains juxtaposed in close contact with said upper surface of said can cover, said another end of said stay-on tab being a planar member, each of said one end and said another end being inclined upwardly from said upper surface such that when one of the ends of said stay-on tab is pressed downwardly another end of said stay-on tab moves upwardly away from said upper surface of said can cover, said can cover being configured so as to be stackable upon identical can cover.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, said support having an elliptical or polygonal cross-section so as to prevent said stay-on tab from being rotated.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an auxiliary support protruding upwardly from said upper surface of said can cover, said auxiliary support positioned beside said support, said auxiliary support connected to said central portion of said stay-on tab, said auxiliary support passing through said central portion and protruding upwardly from said central portion.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, said auxiliary support having an upper end spread so as to form a head. 